Lebanese PM calls for return of Syrian refugees
Azakir/Reuters
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati has urged the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland, citing the heavy toll on Lebanon’s economy and infrastructure.
Speaking Saturday at a political festival in Rome hosted by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party, Mikati highlighted the strain caused by hosting the highest number of refugees per capita globally.
“The consequences of the Syrian war made Lebanon home to the largest number of refugees per capita, with one-third of our population comprising Syrian refugees,” he stated in English.
With a population of 5.8 million, Lebanon hosts around two million Syrians, including over 800,000 registered with the United Nations.
Mikati noted that the influx of refugees has exacerbated Lebanon’s economic struggles and created fierce competition for jobs and services. Calling for a solution, he emphasized, “Today, and after the political transformation in Syria, the best resolution to this issue is for Syrians to go back to their homeland.”
He also appealed to the international community, particularly Europe, to assist in facilitating this return by supporting early recovery efforts in secure areas within Syria.
Most Syrian refugees fled to Lebanon, Europe and other parts during the civil war, which began in 2011 following the violent suppression of anti-government protests
